Improvement in shoe-horns



A. M. CUSHIN l Shoe-Horns. No, 159,159, lPatentedjanI 2651875.

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UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE.

ALVIN M. CUSHING, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPRQVEME-NT IN SHOE-nouns.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 159,159, dated January 26, 1875 application tiled* f January 7, 1875.

To all whom -it may concern Be it known that I, ALVIN M. CUsHINc., M. D., of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Com"- pound Shoe-Horn, of which the following is a specioation My invention is au improvement upon compound shoe-horus, or those which comprise a horn to guide the wearcrs heel into the shoe,

and a clamp to seize hold of the shoe and en` able the latter to be readily pulled ou, this class of horns consisting of two levers or bars, pivoted together at about their center, practically after the manner of blacksmths tongs, the shorter arms forming jaws to seize the quarter of the shoe, and the longer arms constituting handles by means of which the jaws are made to gripe the said quarter, and the shoe is pulled on. A

My improvement consists in applying to the inner face of one or both clamp-jaws a block or plate of india-rubber, o other elastic, adhesive, or tenaciousmaterialZ/hy which the tendency ofthe jaws to slipi )on the shoe is overcome, and much of the xertion now required to close the jaws upon 1e quarter with a sutcieutly firm gripe is a oided.

The drawings accom )anying this specification represent, in Figu e 1, a longitudinal sec? tion, and in Fig. 2 a orizontal section, of a shoehorn embodying my improvement.

By referring to tl ese drawings, it will be seen that A B repr sent two levers or bars, pivoted together by a. rivet, C, in mau ner substautially as now generally practiced in mals ing blacksmiths7 tongs; the outer and shorter arms or jaws a b of these levers being attened and concavo-convex or semi-cylindricai,

in order the better to adapt them to the con tour of the wearcrs heel, and of the heel por tion of the quarter of the shoe.

The longer .pulling on the arms c d of the levers A B constitute handles, by means-of which the jaws a b are tightly compressed upon the shoe-quarter; and the extremities of these handles may be curved, as represented, in `order to enable the user to obtain a strong hold upon the implement in shoe.

In carrying my improvement into practice, I apply in any suitable manner, to the inner face of one or both the jaws a b, a button or plate, e, of india-rubber, or other material which possesses elastic or adhesive properties of suflicient extent to prevent tendency of sueh jaws to slip upon the shoe and los'e their hohl thereupon. y i

IVith a compound shoe-horn composed entirely of meta-l, a considerable exertion ot' power is required to close the jaws upon the shoe, and compel them to maintain a firm hold while drawing' such shoe upon the foot, especially it' it tit the latter tightly.

If the surface of the metal is abraded or scored to obtain a better hold, the leather is scarred and injured.

NVith my improvement the friction and hold of the jaws upon the shoe-quarter is greatly increased, and the power to be exerted by the user diminished in a corresponding degree, while no injury results to the leather; therefore,

I claim as original to secure by Letters -Patent of the United States' A compound shoe-horn, the griping-jaws of which are one or both plated or provided with an elastic or adhesive substance, su bstantiall y as and for purposes stated.

` ALVIN M. CUSIIING.

Witnesses:

F. OURTIs, W. E. BOARDMAN.

with myself', and desire' 

